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Irony
Definition of Logos
Logos, along with ethos and pathos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Logos is an argument that appeals to... read full definition
Logos, along with ethos and pathos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective speaking or writing). Logos is... read full definition
Logos, along with ethos and pathos, is one of the three "modes of persuasion" in rhetoric (the art of effective... read full definition
Act 4, Scene 3
Explanation and Analysis—Berowne's Monologue:
In a sophisticated burst of language, Berowne defends the choice of the men to go back on their oath. He employs logos to that end:
O, we have made a vow to study, lords,
And in that vow we have forsworn our books.
For when would you, my liege, or you, or you,
In leaden contemplation have found out
Such fiery numbers as the prompting eyes
Of beauty’s tutors have enriched you with? [...]
From women’s eyes this doctrine I derive.
They sparkle still the right Promethean fire.
They are the books, the arts, the academes
That show, contain, and nourish all the world.
Berowne reasons that love is as valid a source of education as study, meaning that the men should be freed from their oath. He says that though they promised to study, swearing off love means forgoing the most important source of knowledge (“forsworn our books”). What else but love could have inspired the poetry that all four men have suddenly started writing? Such inspiration, he argues, cannot come from books alone. Women have always been the inspiration for “the books, the arts, the academes” that educate and enrich the world.
With a touch of hyperbole, Berowne argues that love is the true inspiration for all the thinking that shapes the world. By characterizing love as a practical tool for the expansion of personal and professional knowledge, Berowne makes an appeal to his fellow courtiers' sense of logic and pragmatism.
Berowne argues that the rational choice is to give into love. In doing so, he places the four men in a new position of agency. In pursuing the four women, they are making a carefully considered decision about their lives, rather than falling victim to their own extremely strong emotions. Much of the resistance the king and his lords have to falling in love is rooted in the fear of losing control. They fear that if they pursue women, the pursuit will take over their lives, and they will be unable to make time for anything else (especially study). But as Berowne frames it, the men are actually taking steps to grow in knowledge and gain a meaningful understanding of the world through pursuing relationships. Love, he argues, is productive.
Related Themes:
